Integral means for reenforcing metallic plates



Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,442

A. E. SMALL I v v INTEGRAL MEANS FOR 'REENFORCING METALLIC PLATES Filed Sept. 1926 a o u E'g. 7 I g, #Evgniofi zgz'fllur E- Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. SMALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

INTEGRAL MEANS FOR REENFORCING METALLIC PLATES.

4 Application filed September 3, 1926. Serial No. 133,434.

My invention relates to means of reenforcing a metallic plate byforrhing integral corrugations, embossments or ribs therein and resides in the particular and peculiar configuration and relation of the corrugations to obtain certain desired results. g

An object of the invention is to form and arrange a plurality of corrugations in a metallic plate so as to obtaina desired proportion between strength, rigidity andresiliency.

Another object is to obtain this result with the least amount of raw material and to provide a finished article of the least possible weight consistent with strength requirements.

Another object of the invention is to obtain the desired strength, rigidity and resiliency by forming a metallic plate withintegral embossments, each having a wide end and a narrow end positioned withtheir wide ends oppositely disposed, the wide ends of the embossments being divided by ribs extending toward the middle of the embossnients.

Another object is to provide such a corrugated metallic plate which can be formed by pressing it (when heated, it necessary) be tween dies which move toward each other in one direction only.

The construction maybe used wherever a strong, resilient panel is desired, but is espe cially adaptable for railway car structures, such as end walls, side or end doors, hopper doors, floors, roofs, etc., and while I have shown and claimed herein the construction used as an end wall of a railwayfcar, it is my intention to file other applications for patents covering the construction used in other railway car structures.

It is well known that the end walls of railway cars are more likely to be broken or otherwise injured than the side walls. This is duev to the inertia thrusts and pressures caused by the 'shiftingof the cargoeswhen the train starts or stops. These thrusts may be local, tending to distort the end in some particular spot, as, for example, when apiece of piping or lumber shifts lengthwise imparting. a blow against the end wall of the car; or there may be a general tendency to break out the end wall as a whole ortear it away from the framing. For the purpose, therefore, of greater strength and durability, car ends have been constructed of metal plates corrugated or formed with ribs to impart the desired strength, rigidity and resiliency. My

construction is especially adaptable to end,

walls for railway cars (of any type) because it has the strength to resist the continuous pounding of the shifting loads thereon and has the resiliency necessary to absorb these numerous shocks without distortion. Distortion of an end wall might bend thebrake mast, thereby causing interference withthe operation OYIE the hand brake mechanism.

Furthermore, such distortion might reduce the end ladder clearance beyond that prescribed by the Interstate Commerce Commission. lVhen made of several plates secured together the end wall can be made stronger where greater strength is required. A wood' en inside lining isrequired in' a railway house car for blocking the lading to and for compliance with the requirements of the Bureau of Explosives of the American Railway Association. Such a wooden liningjcan be easily applied to my construction.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows the end wall of a railway car, with my device applied thereon. s

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa section on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4- of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 1 Fig. 6 is a detail of aplate reenforced by my arrangement of corrugations.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. Fig. 8 is a sectionon line 8-8 of Fig. 'Fig. 9 is a section on line 99 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a section on line 10-1O of Fig. '6. Fig. 11 is a section on line 11'11 of Fig. 6. The end wall structure comprisesja panel composed of one or more metal plates with my particular embossments'formed therein.

In Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the embossed plates 1, 2 and 3 extend from top to bottom of the end wall and may he formed with in: tegral flanges el along the vertical edges of the outer plates which overlap and are secured to the side walls 5 of the car by any suitable means. The top edge of the'plate is secured beneath the fascia boards 7 and the meeting edges of. the plates overlap and are secured together by rows of rivets 8 and the lower edges of the plates are secured totlie I flanges which overlap and are secured to the side walls by any suitable means. The top edge of the plate is secured to the top chord by rivets, while the lower edge is seeiired by rivets to the end sill.

The plate is provided with embossments or corrugations which have a wide end and a narrow end 21 with every other embossment positioned with its wide end adjacent the narrow ends of; the cmbossn ents positioned thcrebetween that the. embossments arepiositioned with their wide ends alternately disposed. The adjacent sides of adjacent embossjments are substantially parallel; and preferably spaced apart distances 23 equal to their width of the narrow end, as

showirin Fig. (i; In the form, shown in Fig.

1 the sides of thea djacent embossmpnts are parallel and spaced apart distances equal to theirwidth adjacent the middle 2d of the em:

bossments.

Each, wide. end of the embossments is di vided by a rib 25 or corrugation which extends toward the middle of the embossment and preferably decreases in width and depth from the enths f; the, embossments.

Then the em ossmentsare posit oned vertieally, their maxim um depth is located about one-thirdup from their lower ends, and when the embossments are ositioncd horizontally their maximum depth is ad agent their nuddle.

While the embossrnents are shown pressed outwardly it isunderst ood that they may be pressed inwardly or partially irnva. rcll and partially'outwardly'f rom the original plane of the plate, orthe, embossments may he placed ny position, for instance, verticall horizontally or diagonally. The plates may be connected on. vertical or horizontal the spaces. 23 between adjacent embossinents are, all equal in width and preferably also equal in depth so as to form a sinuous configuration of considerable elasticity and" re siliency. Such a, construction also obtains great strength for the amountof metal used because the neutral plane is midway between the bopnding. planes of the emb'ossments. The contou r'ofthe embossed plate at one planewh erethe emboss nents,begin; to mergeinto the plate is substantially the same a f the. corresponding l up other. nd of the embossments. i Y I The maximum pressure. and stress on a car end wall is about two feet above the floor and adjacent the middle of the car. The corrugations are a series of parallel beams and when positioned vertically the lower ends of the beams are supported by the under frame which is the backbone of the ear and the upper ends are supported by the end plate. A beam should have its maximum strength adjapent its point of maxin'unn therefore, LPIQfGIf to have the strongest part of the. individual corrugation, as well as the entire end wall, about two feet from the floor or about one-fourth the length oi the corrugation, therefore, the cmbossnients are deeper adjacent this ine, the place oi, maxinnun depth preferably being where the division of the wide end begins.

In an application for patent Serial No.

' 133,433, filed September 3, 1926, l have disclosed and claimed the embossment. with relatively wide and narrow ends having the wide ends divided, and in still another application for patent Serial No. 133,435, liled Septem her 3,19%,1 have disclosed and clai ncdfsuch .h'

a structure in combination with other ole-i ments.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understoodlliat the invention isnot limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A metallic plate formed with a plurality of parallel embossments, each having a wide end and a narrow end, said enihoimnents positioned with their wide ends alternately disposed. said wide ends being divided by ribs extending toward the middle of the embossnients. I

2. A llltillllllll plglli tl formed with a plurality of parallel embossments,each having a wide end: and a narrow end, said embossn'ients positioned with their wide ends alternately disposed, said wide ends being divided by. ribs Ehichdecrease in depthand width toward the middle 01"; the embossments.

3. A metallic plate formed with, a plurality of parallel cmbossmcnts, each having a wide end and a narrow end, said embossments p0;- sitioned with their wide ends alternately disposechsaid, wide ends being divided by ribs extending towardthe middle Oftllfi emhoss-i ments, at a plane, where the embossmentsibe gin to terminate into the plate, said" dividedi portions, said ribs, said narrow ends and the; spaces between adjacent cmbossments are all equal width 4;. Ametalhc plate formed with a pluralityof parallel: en'ibossmentsg, each having a wide end and: a narrow end, said'embossments positioned' with their wide ends alternately disposed with their adjacent sides substantially parallel, said wide ends being divided by ribs extending toward the middle of the embossments, at a plane, where the embossments begin to terminate into the plate, said divided portions, said ribs, said narrow endsand the spaces between adjacent embossnients are all equal in width.

5. A metallic plate formed with a plurality of parallel embossn'ients increasing in depth toward their middle, each having a wide end and a narrow end, said embossments posi tioned with their wide ends alternately disposed with their adjacent sides substantially parallel, said wide ends being divided by ribs extending toward the middle of the embossments, at a plane, where the embossments begin to terminate into the plate, said divided portions, said ribs, said narrow ends andthe spaces between adjacent embossments are all equal in width.

6. A metallic plate formed with a plurality of parallel embossments increasing in depth toward their middle, each having a wide end and a narrow end, said embossments positioned with their wide ends alternately disposed, said wide ends being divided by ribs extending toward the middle of the emboss ments, the lengths of the center lines of the metal of every cross section of the embossed plate being equal between the planes where the emboss ments begin to terminate into the 8. A metallic plate formed with a plurality of parallel embossments, each having a wide end and a narrow end, said embossments positioned with their wide ends alternately dis- I posed, said wide ends being divided by ribs extending toward the middle of the embossments, and adjacent their middle said embossments are spaced apart distances equal to their width.

9. A metallic plate formed with a plurality of parallel embossments, each having a wide end and a narrow end, said embossments positioned with their wide ends alternately disposed, said wide ends being divided by ribs extending toward the middle of the emboss ments, at a plane, where the embossments begin to terminate into the plate, said divided portions, said ribs, said narrow ends and the spaces between adjacent embossments are all equal in width and also adjacent their middle said embossments are spaced-apart distances equal to their width.

10. A metallic plate -termed with a plurality of parallel embossinents increasing in depth toward their middle, each having a wide end and a narrow end, said embossinents positioned with their wide ends alternately disposed, said wide ends being divided by ribs extending toward the middle of the embossments and adjacent their middle said embossments are spaced apart distances equal to their width.

11. A metallic plate formed with a plurality Y extending toward the middle of the embossments.

' ARTHUR E. SMALL. 

